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| Top White House aide 'fired' after Melania Trump intervention, report says – live | Top White House aide 'fired' after Melania Trump intervention, report says – live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| President Donald Trump appears to have committed a gaffe in the White House celebration of Diwali today. Although he mentioned its origins as the Hindu Festival of Lights, he neglected to mention that it is celebrated by Hindus several times on Twitter until finally getting it right | |
| So after initially not including Hindus in his first Diwali tweet, Trump deletes that tweet and reposts another message. And still leaves out Hindus... https://t.co/4Rw5VLkVUe | |
| It was my great honor to host a celebration of Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, in the Roosevelt Room at the @WhiteHouse this afternoon. Very, very special people! https://t.co/kQk7IvpSFo pic.twitter.com/tYlBABg4JF | |
| For those following leadership races in the new Democratic majority, there’s one less bit of drama to worry about as Steny Hoyer has locked down more than enough support to return as majority leader in 2019. | |
| Hoyer releases list of 155 House Democrats who intend to support him as MajLdr in the 116th Congress | |
| Politico is reporting that one possibility to replace Kirstjen Nielsen at the Department of Homeland Security is Tom Homan, the former director of ICE. | |
| NEW: Trump’s considering former acting ICE director Tom Homan to succeed Nielsen at DHS, multiple sources tell @POLITICO. Also looking at Maj. Gen. Vincent Coglianese. “Trump wants John Wayne on the border & Tom Homan is John Wayne.” https://t.co/MHXYvSOHTg | |
| CNBC is now reporting that the Wall Street Journal story was wrong and that Ricardel is still a White House employee since this saga couldn’t get any weirder. | CNBC is now reporting that the Wall Street Journal story was wrong and that Ricardel is still a White House employee since this saga couldn’t get any weirder. |
| A White House official just told reporters the WSJ story is not accurate. Says Mira Ricardel has not been fired or escorted off the grounds and is at her desk and still works at the WH now. | A White House official just told reporters the WSJ story is not accurate. Says Mira Ricardel has not been fired or escorted off the grounds and is at her desk and still works at the WH now. |
| An hour after Melania Trump called for the sacking of deputy national security advisor Mira Ricardel, the White House aide has been fired. | An hour after Melania Trump called for the sacking of deputy national security advisor Mira Ricardel, the White House aide has been fired. |
| The Wall Street Journal reports she was escorted out of the White House minutes ago. Only two hours before her dismissal, she attended a White House Diwali ceremony with Trump. | The Wall Street Journal reports she was escorted out of the White House minutes ago. Only two hours before her dismissal, she attended a White House Diwali ceremony with Trump. |
| NEW: John Bolton’s No. 2, Mira Ricardel, was escorted from the White House moments ago, an administration officials tell @WSJ. Ricardel was standing just a few feet from President Trump earlier this afternoon. https://t.co/znPd7rZcNe | NEW: John Bolton’s No. 2, Mira Ricardel, was escorted from the White House moments ago, an administration officials tell @WSJ. Ricardel was standing just a few feet from President Trump earlier this afternoon. https://t.co/znPd7rZcNe |
| There’s no winner expected today in Georgia’s 7th congressional district. Results won’t be certified in an unexpectedly tight congressional race, leaving suspense to continue later in the week. | There’s no winner expected today in Georgia’s 7th congressional district. Results won’t be certified in an unexpectedly tight congressional race, leaving suspense to continue later in the week. |
| Looks like the #GA07 race will drag on for several more days. Per my colleague @ByTylerEstep, the Gwinnett elections board won't certify its vote tallies today after fed judge told it to reexamine some discarded absentee ballots #gapol | Looks like the #GA07 race will drag on for several more days. Per my colleague @ByTylerEstep, the Gwinnett elections board won't certify its vote tallies today after fed judge told it to reexamine some discarded absentee ballots #gapol |
| John Kasich will be in New Hampshire this week. | John Kasich will be in New Hampshire this week. |
| The Ohio governor, vocal Trump critic and 2016 presidential candidate will be in the Granite State “meeting with old and new supporters” according to a release. Kasich is holding three public events on Thursday, two in Manchester and one in Concord. | The Ohio governor, vocal Trump critic and 2016 presidential candidate will be in the Granite State “meeting with old and new supporters” according to a release. Kasich is holding three public events on Thursday, two in Manchester and one in Concord. |
| Steve King is also the subject of a searing op-ed in the New York Times, which is unsurprising. Its author though is Adam Rubenstein, the deputy opinion editor at the Weekly Standard. | Steve King is also the subject of a searing op-ed in the New York Times, which is unsurprising. Its author though is Adam Rubenstein, the deputy opinion editor at the Weekly Standard. |
| Rubenstein went to Iowa to report on King and recorded the congressman obliquely comparing immigrants to dirt. | Rubenstein went to Iowa to report on King and recorded the congressman obliquely comparing immigrants to dirt. |
| At the day’s next event, in Webster City, Mr. King opened by telling supporters about his recent pheasant hunting trip. He spoke of a pheasant noodle soup that he makes, and the jalapeño peppers he grows and puts in the soup to give it a kick. Then the conversation turned: | At the day’s next event, in Webster City, Mr. King opened by telling supporters about his recent pheasant hunting trip. He spoke of a pheasant noodle soup that he makes, and the jalapeño peppers he grows and puts in the soup to give it a kick. Then the conversation turned: |
| Mr. King: “I guess I’m going to have to go and get some dirt from Mexico to grow the next batch.” | Mr. King: “I guess I’m going to have to go and get some dirt from Mexico to grow the next batch.” |
| He and the audience laugh together. | He and the audience laugh together. |
| Audience member: “Trust me, it’s on its way.” | Audience member: “Trust me, it’s on its way.” |
| Mr. King: “Well, yeah, there’s plenty of dirt, it’s coming from the West Coast, too. And a lot of other places, besides. This is the most dirt we’ve ever seen.” | Mr. King: “Well, yeah, there’s plenty of dirt, it’s coming from the West Coast, too. And a lot of other places, besides. This is the most dirt we’ve ever seen.” |
| King retaliated and blocked Rubenstein from his election night event and labeled the conservative opinion journal “antifa news” on Twitter. | King retaliated and blocked Rubenstein from his election night event and labeled the conservative opinion journal “antifa news” on Twitter. |
| Iowa governor Kim Reynolds has issued a pointed rebuke to Steve King, the controversial Republican congressman from her state who has repeatedly praised white nationalists. | Iowa governor Kim Reynolds has issued a pointed rebuke to Steve King, the controversial Republican congressman from her state who has repeatedly praised white nationalists. |
| Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Reynolds said: “I think that Steve King needs to make a decision if he wants to represent the people and the values of the fourth district or do something else, and I think he needs to take a look at that.” | Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Reynolds said: “I think that Steve King needs to make a decision if he wants to represent the people and the values of the fourth district or do something else, and I think he needs to take a look at that.” |
| The statement comes after Reynolds didn’t criticize King during her tight election against Democrat Fred Hubbell. King served as her campaign co-chair and they appeared together in an election-eve rally in north-west Iowa. However, Reynolds ran for ahead of the controversial King who only scrapped by a four point victory in a deep red congressional district. | The statement comes after Reynolds didn’t criticize King during her tight election against Democrat Fred Hubbell. King served as her campaign co-chair and they appeared together in an election-eve rally in north-west Iowa. However, Reynolds ran for ahead of the controversial King who only scrapped by a four point victory in a deep red congressional district. |
| Her comments are a clear indicator that now that the election is over, fellow Iowa Republicans are ready to throw King under the bus ahead of 2020. | Her comments are a clear indicator that now that the election is over, fellow Iowa Republicans are ready to throw King under the bus ahead of 2020. |
| The reason that Melania Trump wants top national security aide Mira Ricardel fired apparently doesn’t have anything to do with policy. Instead, it is about a dispute over plane seating when the first lady visited Africa last month. | The reason that Melania Trump wants top national security aide Mira Ricardel fired apparently doesn’t have anything to do with policy. Instead, it is about a dispute over plane seating when the first lady visited Africa last month. |
| Reuters has fleshed out some of the details as well: | Reuters has fleshed out some of the details as well: |
| One of the sources said that their dealings over the trip “didn’t go well”. The other source said that Melania Trump felt that Ricardel tried to short-change the first lady in terms of US government resources allocated to support her Africa tour. | One of the sources said that their dealings over the trip “didn’t go well”. The other source said that Melania Trump felt that Ricardel tried to short-change the first lady in terms of US government resources allocated to support her Africa tour. |
| Needless to say, while first ladies have clashed with White House staffers – most famously Nancy Reagan had a poisonous relationship with White House chief of staff Donald Regan – there is no precedent for the wife of the president to call on her husband to fire a staffer. | Needless to say, while first ladies have clashed with White House staffers – most famously Nancy Reagan had a poisonous relationship with White House chief of staff Donald Regan – there is no precedent for the wife of the president to call on her husband to fire a staffer. |
| In the ever normal world of Florida politics, Senator Bill Nelson has called for Governor Rick Scott to remove himself entirely from the recount process. Scott currently has a narrow lead over Nelson in the state’s contested Senate race. | In the ever normal world of Florida politics, Senator Bill Nelson has called for Governor Rick Scott to remove himself entirely from the recount process. Scott currently has a narrow lead over Nelson in the state’s contested Senate race. |
| Standing next to Schumer, Bill Nelson says Rick Scott has been “using his power of governor to undermine the voting process” — and calls on Scott “to remove himself from the recount process.” | Standing next to Schumer, Bill Nelson says Rick Scott has been “using his power of governor to undermine the voting process” — and calls on Scott “to remove himself from the recount process.” |
| Melania Trump has called for Mira Ricardel, a top aide to John Bolton, to be fired. This is a rare public intervention by the first lady into the functioning of the administration. | Melania Trump has called for Mira Ricardel, a top aide to John Bolton, to be fired. This is a rare public intervention by the first lady into the functioning of the administration. |
| In a statement to ABC News, Stephanie Grisham, a spokeswoman for Trump, said: “It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House.” | In a statement to ABC News, Stephanie Grisham, a spokeswoman for Trump, said: “It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House.” |
| Ricardel has long been at odds with the defense secretary, James Mattis. The veteran of the George W Bush administration had previously served in Trump’s commerce department before being appointed deputy national security Adviser by Bolton when he succeeded HR McMaster. | Ricardel has long been at odds with the defense secretary, James Mattis. The veteran of the George W Bush administration had previously served in Trump’s commerce department before being appointed deputy national security Adviser by Bolton when he succeeded HR McMaster. |
| Just asked the First Lady’s office about deputy national security advisor Mira Ricardel : “It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House,” Stephanie Grisham The First Lady’s communication director to @ABC | Just asked the First Lady’s office about deputy national security advisor Mira Ricardel : “It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House,” Stephanie Grisham The First Lady’s communication director to @ABC |
| Donald Trump announced at a White House Diwali ceremony today that he has nominated Neomi Rao to replace Brett Kavanaugh on the DC circuit court of appeals. | Donald Trump announced at a White House Diwali ceremony today that he has nominated Neomi Rao to replace Brett Kavanaugh on the DC circuit court of appeals. |
| Rao, a former clerk for Justice Clarence Thomas, currently runs the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, which helps to draft federal regulations. | Rao, a former clerk for Justice Clarence Thomas, currently runs the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, which helps to draft federal regulations. |
| Mark Sanford, who lost the primary for his House seat in South Carolina for being insufficiently loyal to Donald Trump, has written an op-ed in the New York Times about the experience and what the GOP should learn from the midterms. | Mark Sanford, who lost the primary for his House seat in South Carolina for being insufficiently loyal to Donald Trump, has written an op-ed in the New York Times about the experience and what the GOP should learn from the midterms. |
| His primary opponent, Katie Arrington, went on to lose the general election to Democrat Joe Cunningham in what was considered a relatively safe Republican district. | His primary opponent, Katie Arrington, went on to lose the general election to Democrat Joe Cunningham in what was considered a relatively safe Republican district. |
| Sanford argues: | Sanford argues: |
| Republicans got a wake-up call last week. But will we wake up? | Republicans got a wake-up call last week. But will we wake up? |
| My party would be wise to take a step back from President Trump’s approach to politics. We should renew our commitment to tenets like environmental conservation and financial responsibility. We should run from the president’s zero-sum approach to politics. | My party would be wise to take a step back from President Trump’s approach to politics. We should renew our commitment to tenets like environmental conservation and financial responsibility. We should run from the president’s zero-sum approach to politics. |
| One freshman member of Congress doesn’t seem to be showing up in Washington. | One freshman member of Congress doesn’t seem to be showing up in Washington. |
| Brenda Jones, who won the special election to succeed John Conyers in Michigan’s 13th congressional district, has yet to appear in Washington and will not be sworn in today. | Brenda Jones, who won the special election to succeed John Conyers in Michigan’s 13th congressional district, has yet to appear in Washington and will not be sworn in today. |
| The problem is that while Jones won the special election, she didn’t win the regular one. Instead, Rashida Tlaib won. The Muslim-American woman took advantage of a far more splintered field while only four African American candidates ran in the special, there were six in the general in the majority black district which led to the split decision. If she gets sworn in for a six-week-term in Congress, Jones would have to resign her position on Detroit’s city council. The special election had been long delayed. The result is that that congressional district may go over a year without any representation in Congress. | The problem is that while Jones won the special election, she didn’t win the regular one. Instead, Rashida Tlaib won. The Muslim-American woman took advantage of a far more splintered field while only four African American candidates ran in the special, there were six in the general in the majority black district which led to the split decision. If she gets sworn in for a six-week-term in Congress, Jones would have to resign her position on Detroit’s city council. The special election had been long delayed. The result is that that congressional district may go over a year without any representation in Congress. |
| Detroiters could go 13 mos without a House rep b/c (a) GOP gov set special election nearly a yr hence and (b) diff candidates won special & general, and the one who won the special doesn't want to quit her existing job for a congressional cup of coffee. https://t.co/xw9Czwf6Bl | Detroiters could go 13 mos without a House rep b/c (a) GOP gov set special election nearly a yr hence and (b) diff candidates won special & general, and the one who won the special doesn't want to quit her existing job for a congressional cup of coffee. https://t.co/xw9Czwf6Bl |
| Sixteen-year-olds may vote in the 2020 presidential election. | Sixteen-year-olds may vote in the 2020 presidential election. |
| Under legislation that looks likely to pass the Washington DC city council, the franchise would be extended to 16- and 17-year-olds. Although minors are allowed to vote some municipal elections, this bill would be the first to allow them to vote in federal elections. Under the 26th amendment, no one over the age of 18 can be denied the ability to vote because of their age, there is no lower limit. | Under legislation that looks likely to pass the Washington DC city council, the franchise would be extended to 16- and 17-year-olds. Although minors are allowed to vote some municipal elections, this bill would be the first to allow them to vote in federal elections. Under the 26th amendment, no one over the age of 18 can be denied the ability to vote because of their age, there is no lower limit. |
| If passed, the legislation is unlikely to change the results of DC’s three electoral votes. Hillary Clinton won the District in 2016 by a margin of 91%-4%. | If passed, the legislation is unlikely to change the results of DC’s three electoral votes. Hillary Clinton won the District in 2016 by a margin of 91%-4%. |
| The federal investigation of Bernie Sanders’s wife Jane and her stewardship of a failed Vermont college has apparently ended. This clears one potential obstacle for Sanders mounting a presidential bid in 2020. | The federal investigation of Bernie Sanders’s wife Jane and her stewardship of a failed Vermont college has apparently ended. This clears one potential obstacle for Sanders mounting a presidential bid in 2020. |
| New into @CNN: top Bernie Sanders adviser Jeff Weaver tells me that the US Attorney in Vermont has recently notified Jane Sanders, who is married to @SenSanders , that they have closed their investigation into the Burlington College land deal. | New into @CNN: top Bernie Sanders adviser Jeff Weaver tells me that the US Attorney in Vermont has recently notified Jane Sanders, who is married to @SenSanders , that they have closed their investigation into the Burlington College land deal. |